The Committee to Improve Samurai Japan held a meeting in Tokyo on May 22 and confirmed that the term for the next Samurai Japan manager will end with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Depending on the outcome of the Olympics, the manager might be asked to stay on until the end of the 2021 World Baseball Classic.

The Samurai Japan top team could head overseas in 2018 to play “road” exhibition games in preparation for the Premier 12 in 2019, the Olympics in 2020, and the World Baseball Classic in 2021. Europe and the United States are possibilities.